Lipoxidases

Lipoxidases is an alternative (older) term for lipoxygenases — the enzymes that oxidise unsaturated fatty acids containing a cis,cis-penta-1,4-diene unit (linoleic, linolenic, arachidonic acids) to monohydroperoxides. Found in virtually all legumes (soybeans are the richest source) and in many vegetables, they build desirable flavour in tomatoes, cucumbers and olive oils — generating the ‘green’ C6 aldehydes — but can also spoil foods with beany, grassy, rancid off-flavours (notably in soy milk and whole-grain products). Food technologists manage them by heat inactivation (blanching), lipoxygenase-null crop varieties, and antioxidant protection.